A representative of St. Vincent de Paul Cares told the Punta Gorda Code Enforcement Board on Aug. 29 that the nonprofit — which merged with the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition in August 2024 — inherited a rental house with a damaged roof and other violations and is engaged in litigation with the long‑term tenant over who must pay for repairs.

The matter matters because the city has an open code case and the owner now on the property records is St. Vincent de Paul Cares. The nonprofit asked the board for an enlargement of time to cure the violations while the pending court case determines whether the tenant under a long‑standing triple‑net lease or the owner is responsible for a repair estimated at more than $50,000.

Board members heard that the building has sustained repeated storm damage going back to 2021 and that the current tenant — referred to in the hearing as “Castle” — has a 13– to 14‑year lease that, on paper, obligates the tenant to handle exterior repairs. The St. Vincent representative said the organization took on both assets and liabilities after the merger and served a notice to the tenant earlier this year to cure code violations; the tenant denies responsibility, saying hurricane damage makes the landlord responsible, and the parties are in active litigation.

Board members discussed options and risks. One member said it would be “no use” granting a generic 90‑day extension if the underlying court case might take much longer; another member noted that legal constraints limit the board’s ability to impose conditions while an active case is pending. The board asked the nonprofit to include, at the next update, the status of litigation and of fundraising efforts to pay for repairs, and suggested an interim report rather than an open‑ended continuance.

After discussion, Code Enforcement Board member Carl Rich moved to continue the case (case number 25‑88186) for further status reporting; another board member seconded. The board voted in favor and continued the matter to the Oct. 21 code enforcement board meeting so staff and the owner could report back on litigation status and funding efforts.

The board recorded that it had found a code case exists and formally continued the enforcement case to Oct. 21, 2025. The St. Vincent representative said the nonprofit will seek funding from private and county sources and will report estimates and fundraising progress at the next hearing. The representative also said the organization would not contest any interior inspection or condemnation determinations made by the building department if those inspections were required.

The board did not set other conditions while the litigation is pending, and it noted that future board composition could differ when the case returns for final disposition.